French PM Lecornu convenes crisis meeting amid nationwide high school protests

On Thursday, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened an emergency meeting to tackle the escalating student protests across the country. The unrest, ignited by dissatisfaction with secondary school conditions, commenced with teenagers obstructing school entrances in Paris's disadvantaged suburbs. The student union leading the demonstrations, the Union Syndicale Lycéenne, demanded authorities address "teacher and staff shortages, deteriorating high schools, overcrowded classrooms, and excessive workloads."

Although mostly peaceful, some protests involved setting trash cans ablaze and vandalizing buildings. Greater Paris region head Valérie Pécresse reported over 200 schools affected, with damage surpassing €1 million. Protesters and supporters have accused the police of employing excessive force against demonstrators. The clash has also led to political blame-shifting.

Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his France Unbowed party attended protests in their districts, aiming to support minors and shield them from police confrontations. Marine Le Pen, the frontrunner in next year's presidential election and the far-right candidate, claimed Mélenchon bore "a heavy responsibility for the country's current situation."

Mélenchon retorted that his party was safeguarding "young people from violence perpetrated by Ms. Le Pen’s allies in the police force." Earlier in the week, Lecornu criticized Mélenchon and his party for irresponsibly exacerbating the crisis. "The duty of an elected official of the Republic is to protect young people and call for calm," Lecornu stated on X on Monday.